Fitzgerald Group Wins ISO Certification
For “Process Based” Management
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Jack Fitzgerald receives ISO 9001:2000 Certification for
Fitzgerald Auto Malls from John Sedlak of Smithers
Quality
Assessments, Inc. (left) and Howard Butz, Jr., of Towson
University joins in the presentation |
Looking for a better CSI
program than those offered by automakers, Jack Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald
Auto Malls was at the NADA Convention to receive official ISO 9001:2000
Certification for his 12 stores and 35 franchises. Fitzgerald Auto Malls
is the first multi-location dealer group to achieve the highly regarded
designation, given by the Geneva-based International Organization for
Standardization. Businesses achieve certification by implementing a
stringent set of principles and practices, including how well-and
consistently-they treat customers.
With help from Towson University's College of Business and
Economic Outreach, Fitzgerald instituted a system called Process Based Management (PBM),
which gathers feedback immediately with a secure, non-time-consuming
survey that customers can respond to online, by mail, or in person
- as opposed to manufacturer CSI results that typically take weeks or even
months to reach the dealership. Getting real-time input allows the
dealership to troubleshoot any problems immediately. And because the
survey system is secure, the results can't be manipulated. |